Puryala Chicken
स्थूलामलकसङ्काशान् शुद्धमांसस्य खण्डकान् । काथयेद्राजिकातोयैर्नागरार्द्रकसंयुतैः ॥ ५७ ॥ स्थापयेत्तज्जलं पात्रे रिक्ते चाम्लैर्विपाचयेत् । तत्समान् शुण्ठकान् क्षिप्त्वा सैन्धवं तत्र योजयेत् ॥ ५८ ॥ मेथकचूर्णकं तत्र धान्याकस्य च पूलिकाम् । निक्षिप्योत्तारयेत्सूदो घृतं वान्यत्र तापयेत् ॥ ५९ ॥ सुतप्ते च घृते पश्चाल्लशुनं हिङ्गुना सह । प्रक्षिप्य संस्कृतं मांसं तस्यां स्थाल्यां प्रवेशयेत् ॥ १४६० ॥ पिहितं च ततः कुर्यात्किञ्चित्कालं प्रतीक्ष्य च । उत्तारयेत्ततः सिद्धं पुर्यलाख्यमिदं वरम् ॥ ६१ ॥
Pieces of clean meat resembling large emblic myrobalans he should boil in mustard-water combined with dried ginger and fresh ginger. He should set that liquid aside in an empty vessel and cook it with sour things. Having thrown in śuṇṭhakas of that same size, he should add rock salt to it, and having put in fenugreek powder and a small bundle of coriander, the cook should take it off the fire; and he should heat ghee elsewhere. Afterwards, when the ghee is thoroughly hot, having thrown garlic into it together with asafoetida, he should put the prepared meat into that pot. Then he should cover it, and after waiting a little while, take it off the fire when done. This excellent dish is called puryala.
The Mānasollāsa contains no poultry dishes, but it advised that birds can be prepared in exactly the same manner as meat. For this reason, I’ve adapted this recipe using chicken. I’ve used drumsticks here, but chicken thighs would work equally as well.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- 400 ml water
- 1½ tsp ground mustard
- 15 g fresh ginger, sliced
- ½ tsp ground dried ginger
- 30 g tamarind concentrate
- 1 tsp ground fenugreek
- 1 tsp salt
- Small bunch of coriander leaves
- 30 g ghee
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- Small pinch of asafoetida
Method
- Put the drumsticks in a wide pot with the water, mustard, fresh ginger, and dried ginger. Cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, turning the drumsticks once.
- Lift the drumsticks into a heatproof bowl. Strain the cooking liquid to remove the ginger and any scum, then pour the strained liquid back over the chicken in the bowl.
- Return the chicken and strained liquid to the pot. Add the tamarind, fenugreek, salt, and coriander.
- Uncover and simmer for another 15–20 minutes, turning the drumsticks occasionally, until they are cooked through and the liquid has reduced to a thick coating. Add a little water if it threatens to scorch before the chicken is done.
- Remove the drumsticks and sauce from the pot.
- Heat the ghee in the emptied pot. Fry the garlic and asafoetida until fragrant.
- Return the chicken and sauce, turn everything through the ghee, cover, and cook over low heat for a few minutes, then serve.